Karm (FASERIP)
Karma Summary Listing Violent Crime -- Stop/Prevent(30) Violent Crime -- Arrest (15) Destructive Crime -- Stop/Prevent (20) Destructive Crime -- Arrest (10) Theft -- Stop/Prevent (10) Theft -- Arrest (10) Robbery -- Stop/Prevent () Robbery -- Arrest Misdemeanors -- Stop/Prevent Misdemeanors -- Arrest National Offense -- Stop/Prevent National Offense -- Arrest Local Conspiracy -- Stop/Prevent Local Conspiracy -- Arrest National Conspiracy — Stop/Prevent National Conspiracy -- Arrest Global Conspiracy — Stop/Prevent Global Conspiracy -- Arrest Other Crimes -- Stop/Prevent Other Crimes -- Arrest Rescue Multiple Rescues(5 +) Defeating Remarkable Foe Defeating Incredible Foe Defeating Amazing Foe Defeating Monstrous Foe Defeating Unearthly Foe Commit Violent Crime Commit Destructive Crime Commit Theft Commit Misdemeanor Commit National Offense Commit Other Crimes Public Defeat Private Defeat Permit Violent Crime Permit Destructive Crime Permit Theft Permit Robbery Permit Misdemeanor Permit National Offense Permit Other Crimes Property Destruction Death Noble Death Mysterious Death Self-Destruction Making Commitment Failing Commitment Weekly Award Charities: Personal Appearance Charities: Act of Charity Charities: Donation Negative Popularity Gaming Award: Role-Playing Gaming Award: Stump the Judge Gaming Award: Humor ---- Gaining (and Losing) Karma Karma awards are made at specific times during an adventure. •Karma is awarded at the end of a battle or conflict. •Karma is awarded at the completion of a task. •Karma is awarded at the conclusion of the game adventure or gaming session. In the first case, Karma is not awarded while there is still combat going on, or when there is potential for immediate combat. This prevents heroes from chewing through the lower-level flunkies, then using the Karma gained to take on the organization's mastermind. As long as one of the player character heroes is in combat, Karma will not be awarded for that battle. Certain actions are rewarded immediately after they occur. Stopping a crime, rescuing someone, or preventing a disaster are rewarded as soon as they occur, as are Karma losses from committing a crime, or taking a life. At the conclusion of the game adventure, Karma awards should be made for the play to date. Conclusion means either the end of a planned adventure or the end of the evening's play. Karma awards for items such as good role-playing should not be delayed from session to session (if only because Judges have terrible memories). Karma may be awarded to individuals or to a group. Definition is determined by the number of characters required to perform the action, defeat the bad guy, or rescue the innocent. If more then one person is responsible (such as one character holds the building steady while a second clears the streets and a third checks the collapsing structure for people trapped inside), the award should be split evenly, if one character is doing all the work, then that character should get all the credit. When making group awards, the amount is evenly divided between the active participants (drop fractions). If three people perform actions that earn 100 Karma points, each gets 33 Karma points. Awards for good role-playing are always to individuals. The decision of whether Karma is awarded to the individual or group, as well as the amount, is the final province of the Judge. Karma earned by groups may be placed in that group's Karma pool even if other members of the pool's group were not present. Karma is gained and lost through three general types of actions: Heroic Actions, Personal Actions, and Gaming Actions. Heroic Actions are those actions the character undertakes as 8 hero: catching criminals, rescuing innocents, battling the forces of evil, and general acts of heroic derring-do. Similarly, Karma is lost (reducing the player's Karma total) for unheroic acts. Heroic actions are listed in the summary at the close of this section, but the general types are as follows. Stopping or preventing crime: The hero receives an amount for preventing a criminal action from occurring, or stopping It while in the process of occurring. The various criminal acts are listed in the Original Set, and summarized here. • Violent crimes are crimes involving damage to people, and include murder, assault, and kidnapping. Attacking a super-powered hero is not in itself a violent crime, for Karma purposes, but attacking a hero in his secret ID is. • Destructive crimes are violent crimes directed against property as opposed to people. Arson, bombings, riots, vandalism, attacks on super-powered heroes, and rampages fall under this category. • Theft is removal of property without threat or injury. Shoplifting, pickpocketing, break-ins, and embezzling are theft. • Robbery is theft with violence or implied violence. Mugging, bank robbery, and store stick-ups are robbery. Whereas theft is usually done without the target's knowledge, robbery involves a face-to-face confrontation. • Misdemeanors include all minor crimes, including gambling, carrying concealed weapons, possession of drugs, and driving offenses. • National offenses are those crimes that threaten the security of the nation, and include treason, hijacking, acts of terrorism, and drug and weapon smuggling. •A local conspiracy is a plot or plan to break the law, affecting one company, city, or region. Meeting to plan a robbery is a local conspiracy. •A national conspiracy is a plot or plan to break the law on a national level, usually concerning taking over that country. •A global conspiracy is directed against the entire world, and usually is only used by those individuals and groups who dream of world power and alien races intent on conquering the world. • Other crimes are those crimes that do not fit into any set category, and include selling drugs, forgery, counterfeiting, and fraud. Arresting criminals: Often there are cases when a hero is not on the scene when a crime occurs (best example is Spider-Man not being around when his Uncle Ben was shot by the burglar). If the hero brings those responsible for a crime to justice, this is known as Arresting the Criminal, In most cases, a hero does not have official sanction from the governments to make arrests. The best the hero can do is bring the perpetrator to justice, along with enough evidence to make a case against the creep. If the villain is released as a result of a court decision, the hero still gets the award for the arrest. The classes of crimes are as listed above. Rescues: Saving another life is worth 20 Karma points flat, It doesn't matter if the person is Aunt May falling off the Brooklyn Bridge or Doctor Doom falling into the core of his cyclotron. To most heroic characters all life has value, even that of evil characters. A maximum of 100 points may be awarded for any one action involving rescue (Iron Man saves a 747 filled with people from crashing — he gets 100 points max). Award for Foes: In addition to all other awards, the hero receives Karma for battling and defeating opponents. Such an opponent is usually a criminal or villain. This award may be made only if the opponent has an ability or Power of Remarkable or higher (small fry do not count). The award is equal to the highest rank number of the opponent. Example 1: The lone hero comes upon a liquor store hold-up. The two thugs are running for the getaway car. The hero drops down on the thugs and knocks them out, to the cheers of the bystanders. She has stopped a robbery (20) and arrested the criminals (10). She gets 30 points for her actions. Example 2: The lone hero comes upon a liquor store that has been held up. The owner says the robber wore the outfit of the Scorpion. The hero tracks Scorpion down. discovers proof of the crime, arrests him, and turns him over the authorities. The hero did not stop the crime, but did arrest the criminal (10), who has a Remarkable + ability (Amazing damage with tail (50)), so the hero receives 60 points. Example 3: Three heroes tracking down a rash of thefts (four to a rash; three or less is an itch of thefts) stumble across a group of three villains plotting to hold the city of San Francisco hostage. The heroes break in and knock out the criminals. They have arrested the criminals of four thefts (20 points), stopped a local conspiracy (30) and arrested the participants (15j, and the villains all have high Strengths (Incredible, 40 each). The heroes get 185 points, split three ways for 55 points each. Example 4: Arampaging monster with Monstrous (75) Endurance is trying to push over an office building filled with people. A team of five heroes tries to prevent it. Three heroes attack the monster, which they drive off into the East River. The other two heroes help evacuate the building. All heroes would benefit from stopping a crime of destruction (20), and from rescue (100 Karma points). No points are awarded for defeating the monster, as it was just driven off, or for "arresting" the monster as it's still at large. 120 points are spread among five heroes for 24 each. or added in total to their group Karma pool. Losses for Heroic (or Unheroic) Acts: Heroes may also lose Karma as a result of their actions. Such losses are always individual in nature, and Karma may not drop below 0. These unheroic actions are summarized on the Karma Table as well, and are detailed below. Committing crimes: Aplayer character loses twice the listed Karma points for any crime he commits. even if the hero has good reason or there are extenuating circumstances concerning the crime. Ahero is sometimes charged with a crime she did not commit. This has no effect on her Karma (as the hero knows she is innocent). This only applies to crimes the hero commits, even if she was under the control of outside forces. Example: Puppet Master controls a hero's mind. forcing him to rob Fort Knox. While the hero breaks Puppet Master's hold, returns the money, and convinces the authorities that he is a good guy. the fact remains that he robbed Fort Knox. and loses 20 Karma points as a result. Note: Holding on to the devices of super- powered villains without the permission of the arresting body is considered to be theft. (Bad guys got rights. too.) Make a Popularity FEATto see if the hero may keep the devices after the trial. Permit crime to occur: There are times when a hero may choose not to interfere with a situation, or be unable to interfere with a criminal activity. This is generally not looked upon favorably in heroic circles, and a Karma loss equal to that of arresting the criminal is ascribed to the hero. Example: The hero must rush a vial of anti- toxin across town to save a life (rescue - worth 20 points). En route he spots a cat burglar breaking into a penthouse apartment (theft -- 10 for preventing, 5 more for arresting). He decides that a life is more important and gets to the hospital with seconds to spare. He gets 20 points. but loses 5 for not preventing the crime (he can regain those points by tracking down the cat burglar, now long gone). Defeats: When a hero gets beaten up by a bad guy or guys, he seems ineffective in his job, and this reflects on his Karma. If the defeat occurs in a private area (no other witnesses). the hero loses 20 Karma points. If the defeat occurs with more than three witnesses (in a park, an office, or on national TV). the loss is 40 Karma points. Property destruction: When titans clash, the insurance rates go through the roof. Super- powered characters getting down to cases can level whole city blocks. Villains generally don't care, but heroes like to avoid excess destruction. For every area that takes damage (broken walls, windows, fallen roofs, damaged pavements, wrecked cars and sewage lines), each hero involved loses 5 points. Example: Three heroes fight the rampaging Hulk. in the process a city block of seven areas is leveled. The heroes each lose 35 points (and probably another 40 each for a public defeat, as the Hulk is one tough customer). Death: Almost all heroes have a code against killing, acid this is reflected by the fact that if a hero kills an opponent, or through his actions allows a person to die, all Karma for the character is reduced to 0. Karma that has been spent for advancement, building things, or influencing die rolls previous to the death is unaffected, but with the death, all current Karma is reduced to 0. New Karma may be earned from this point, but the Karma is lost, even if the character slain is later returned to life. Accidental deaths and deaths resulting from the hero not being in control of his actions do not mitigate this effect. Example: Iron Man's armor is controlled by Justin Hammer, and causes him to fire his repulsor ray into the Carnellian ambassador, killing him on national TV. Iron Man's Karma is reduced to 0, despite the bet that it is not his fault. Noble deaths, mysterious deaths, and self- destruction: These are borderline cases where the circumstances of death are fuzzy to say the least. Anoble death is one where the character chooses to sacrifice herself for others (Marvel Girl taking the controls of a crashing space shuttle in order to save Scott Summers and his teammates). Amysterious death is one where no body is found, and is a favorite for villains who appear to be about to die. Self-destruction involves those cases where the death would result no matter what the hero does. For these cases, a set 50 point penalty per hero is ascribed. Example of noble death: The Space Shuttle, carrying the X-Men, is plunging to its fiery doom. Marvel Girl volunteers to try to pilot it down, though the cosmic radiation will fry her. She knocks out a protesting Cyclops, and sacrifices her life to save her friends. Her friends lose 50 Karma points only, as this was a noble death. They do not regain that amount when it turns out she really survived the crash. Example of mysterious death: The heroes trap the dangerous Apocalypse in a burning warehouse as the madman rants about his new genetic hierarchy. Suddenly the floor gives way, plunging him into the inferno before the heroes can react. No one could survive the heat, and no body is found in the ashes. The heroes take a 50 point penalty each, though Apocalypse may have survived the fire. Example of sell-destruction: Iron Man defeats Obadiah Stane, who is wearing the Iron Monger armor. As a final act, Iron Monger turns his repulsors on himself as opposed to admitting defeat to Iron Man. Iron Man's total is reduced by 50 Karma points. Personal Karma Awards: In addition to heroic actions in their caped and cowled crusader alter egos, most player characters have a home life of some form, as well as non super-powered friends and allies. These friends, allies, and relationships are the source of additional Karma for the hero, known as personal Karma. Personal Karma is awarded to the individual hero (no group awards). Earning personal Karma consists of making commitments and following through on those commitments. Ahero who exists in a vacuum, without friends, is cutting himself out of an interesting way of earning Karma. Personal commitments: The character, either as hero or secret ID, can make a commitment to meet someone at a certain time and place. This may be a personal appearance, making a date with a girlfriend, going shopping with a relative, or making a poker game. For each instance of a hero making commitments and seeing them through, the hero receives 5 Karma points. Weekly award: In addition to specific commitments, heroes in their everyday lives receive Karma points for making the normal daily commitments. These will vary according to the heroes. Those with employment must live up to the terms of that employment (like showing up for the job, as a long absence fighting in the Skrull Galaxy may result in a loss of Karma and a change in Resource status). Heroes with families should be expected to spend some time with those families. (The Richardses have been spending a lot of time fighting menaces and leaving their son Franklin alone -- this is bad Karma.) Heroes with wives or husbands are similarly expected to spend some time together to receive this reward, in domestic situations as opposed to everyday situations. Acharacter who to the Judge's satisfaction has completed his normal tasks as employee/ employer/husband/wife/parent may receive this award of up to 10 Karma points. Example 1: Spider-Man, in his identity of Peter Parker, not only-manages to get freelance photos in on time to make an issue of NOW magazine, but makes a dinner date with Mary Jane and drops in on his Aunt May. At week's end, the character gains 10 Karma for making his normal commitments, as well as an additional 5 for showing up for the date with Mary Jane. Example 2: Iron Man, in his identity of Tony Stark, is needed to sign various papers for the continued survival of his company. iron Man spends the week fighting the Crimson Dynamo in the Sahara Desert, and does not even check in. Iron Man receives no award for the week (and his control of the company may be jeopardized by his failure to pay attention to business), and loses Karma for not showing up. Karma loss for breaking commitments: One way of gaining personal Karma is to make and show up for commitments. Failure to show up for these commitments results in a Karma loss, as does leaving these commitments early (sorry, you can't just touch base and take off). Failure to show up for a commitment will result in a loss of 10 Karma points, leaving early a loss of 5 Karma points. Karma levels may never drop below 0. Example 1: Reed Richards has scheduled a meeting of the Baxter Building tenants for noon on Friday. On Thursday he is kidnapped by Doctor Doom, and does not escape until Monday. Regardless of the situation, he loses 10 Karma points for failing to show up (and probably has the tenants ticked off as well). Example 2: She-Hulk and Wyatt Wingfoot are out on the town when suddenly a news report comes in about a giant plate of succotash eating Yankee Stadium, She- Hulk calls it a night early in order to battle the evil mixed vegetable, but will suffer a 5 Karma point loss for only partially honoring a commitment. Charities: One easy way of earning personal Karma is through charity work. There are three types of charity that a hero can be involved with: personal appearance, act of charity, and donation. Personal appearance involves the hero showing up for a function the proceeds of which will be donated to a worthy cause. A charity will request or accept this type of work on a red Popularity FEAT, mainly because such charities are often used as targets at which super-powered foes get even with and humiliate the hero. The hero who makes a charity appearance will receive Karma points equal to his Popularity rank number (maximum of 20). No more than one charity appearance per week per hero or group can be counted in this fashion. Act of charity: Ahero may also use his Powers to benefit the common good, or a worthy cause, in a non-combat or non- emergency situation. Heroes should be rewarded according to the situation and the type of FEATneeded to complete the task. Tasks which are automatic net 10 points, those which would require a green FEAT20, a yellow FEAT30, and a red FEAT40 points. Donation: In the Original Set, a bonus of 1 Karma point per 100 Resource points donated was set. With the removal of bookkeeping for Resources, this must be modified. In order to make a donation, the player must state what is being donated and make the appropriate Resource FEAT if necessary. The Karma award is equal to the rank number of that FEAT(if no FEAT is required, 10 Karma points are awarded). Example 1: Box hauls a Canadian destroyer off the shoals of Newfoundland. This is an act of charity requiring a red FEATroll, so he receives 40 points for performing it successfully. Example 2: Spider-Man uses his webbing to temporarily hold the scaffolding together outside an office building until it is welded. This is an act of charity, but no FEATis required. 10 points are awarded. Example 3: Tony Stark kicks in for a new wing of a medical center, an Incredible rank donation made possible by Stark International. Stark receives 40 points for the donation, and an additional 20 points for showing up as Iron Man at the grand opening. Example 4: Spider-Man is gathering money for a program to give toys to small children at Christmas. The organization, wary of his rep, turns down his offer to make public appearances, but Parker still manages to donate a few bucks to the cause (Poor FEAT) and in doing so gains 4 Karma points. Negative Popularity FEAT rolls: Heroes are supposed to be good guys, but if their Popularity drops below 0 in the range, people may follow their orders out of fear as opposed to loyalty. Each time a player character hero with a negative Popularity score uses that Popularity to influence another character, the hero loses Karma equal to his or her Popularity rank number. For example, if a hero with -15 Popularity uses that Popularity to scare away a group of panic-stricken passers-by, preventing them from being damaged by a falling wall, he receives Karma for the rescue (100 points max), but loses 15 points of it due to his negative Popularity score. Gaming Awards: Aplayer may gain Karma for his character through good role- play and running his character in an interesting and intelligent way, There are no negative gaming awards in the Advanced Set, as the assumption is made (at least by the designer) that you guys know what you're doing. Three examples of gaming awards are: Role-Play Award: At the end of an adventure or gaming session, the Judge may award personal Karma to players who have shown a good knowledge of the character's personality. For characters from the Marvel Universe, this means the role-playing is in line with how the character is presented (Hercules is loud and boisterous; Wolverine, while not continually going into murderous rages, is short-tempered and threatening).For characters created by the players, these awards are given in light of the player's stated motives and previous actions. (Captain Outrageous, "the hero who fears no evil," running from a fight with Terminus may be making an intelligent decision, but still is not acting in character.) The Judge may award up to 10 points in this fashion. Stump the Judge Award: The characters controlled by the players have super- human Powers, and with the addition of Power Stunts, may be able to use them in new and different ways. In other words, while the Judge may figure the players will get out of a deathtrap in a certain fashion, they may surprise him by coming up with some new and different way. The Judge should make an award of no greater than 15 points to those players who come up with new, imaginative ways of dealing with situations (once done, of course, it's now longer new, so once per stunt). Humor Award: Let's face it: one of the key reasons for role-playing is the gathering together of diverse people with the intent of swapping bad jokes. Laughing in the face of danger is a trademark of some heroes, but even Wolverine and Captain America get in a wry chuckle from time to time. The Judge should award 5 points to any player who can come up with a joke, pun, or humorous situation so dastardly that play must cease while everyone takes a deep breath and tries to recover a sense of direction.